This is an appeal (No. ED113824) in the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District, arising from St. Louis County Circuit Court Case No. 21SL-CC03944. The underlying civil action is a medical malpractice / birth-injury claim brought by plaintiff R.A. (a minor, by and through his next friends and natural parents, Sarah Anyan and Blake Anyan) against defendants Mercy Hospitals East Communities d/b/a Mercy Hospital St. Louis, Mercy Clinic East Communities d/b/a Mercy Clinic OB/GYN, and Dr. Daniel McNeive.
A jury trial was held in March 2025. On March 25, 2025, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the plaintiff, finding the defendants liable for departing from the standard of care and awarding $48.1 million in damages ($28.1 million compensatory + $20 million punitive). The formal judgment was entered on June 3, 2025. The plaintiff had previously filed a motion (in March 2025) to enforce an alleged high/low settlement agreement reached during trial. The defendants filed timely post-trial motions. On July 8, 2025, the trial court entered an order granting the plaintiff’s motion to enforce the settlement. On July 15, 2025, the trial court entered an Order and Decree enforcing the settlement and vacating the June 3, 2025 $48.1 million judgment.
The defendants (now Appellants) filed a Notice of Appeal on August 21, 2025, arguing that the trial court lacked jurisdiction/authority to enter the July orders, that no enforceable settlement existed (no meeting of the minds), and that the orders were not supported by substantial evidence or clear and convincing evidence. The appeal has been consolidated with other related appeals from the same underlying case (including ED113933, ED114055, and ED113232). The record on appeal is unusually large (approximately 3,000+ pages of transcript from the 11-day trial plus multiple hearings).
Numbered List of Most Pertinent Details (with Dates – strict chronological order)
- March 2025 – Plaintiff filed motion to enforce alleged high/low settlement agreement (during trial).
- March 25, 2025 – Jury returned plaintiff’s verdict finding defendants liable and awarding $48.1 million in damages.
- June 3, 2025 – Formal judgment entered in favor of plaintiff for $48.1 million.
- July 8, 2025 – Trial court entered order granting plaintiff’s motion to enforce the settlement.
- July 15, 2025 – Trial court entered Order and Decree enforcing the settlement and vacating the June 3, 2025 $48.1 million judgment.
- August 15, 2025 – Defendants filed post-trial motions (plaintiff filed none).
- August 21, 2025 – Defendants filed Notice of Appeal (ED113824) from the July 8 and July 15 orders (file stamp August 29, 2025).
- September 2, 2025 – Missouri Court of Appeals acknowledged receipt of Notice of Appeal and confirmed docket fee paid.
- November 10, 2025 – Appellants filed first Motion for Extension of Time to File Record on Appeal (60 days requested).
- December 10, 2025 – Appellants filed second Motion for Extension of Time to File Record on Appeal (court reporter Form One attached; transcript 3,000+ pages; requested deadline January 19, 2026).
- March 10, 2026 – Appellants filed Motion for Extension of Time to File Opening Brief (14-day extension requested due to scheduling conflicts).
- March 11, 2026 – Court of Appeals granted the brief extension (opening brief now due April 3, 2026).